OUR READERS WRITE...

May 22, 2011

It's a privilege to honor our flag, our men and women in uniform and to those who have fallen for our country and our way of life.

On Memorial Day we need to remember and honor our vets that were wounded or gave their lives while fighting under the stars and stripes to preserve our freedom. On May 30 we need to keep in our hearts and give thanks to all the men and women that made it possible for us to live and worship as free people.

Americans that disrespect the flag, through acts of arrogance protesting for causes that go against our principles and our flag, do not represent the majority of Americans.

Also celebrate our flag on June 14. We as a nation are obligated to honor, respect, and defend Old Glory that was created on June 14, 1777. God Bless this, The United States Of America.

CARL BRYAN,

Salem

Concerned about building

located in downtown Salem

To the editor:

I have a concern regarding the building located on the corner of Ellsworth and State Street. I believe this building belongs to Mayor Wolford. I happened to be behind a semi-truck today, the driver attempted to make a right turn on to State Street, having a very difficult time of doing so, as most semis do.

I've sometimes noticed semis have to drive over sidewalks to make a turn, this poor driver not only had to make a difficult turn, but had to avoid hitting the scaffolding that is sticking partially out on to State Street, I'm sitting behind him wondering what's going to happen if he hits the scaffolding, apparently part of the building is falling down and there I am sitting right next to it wondering if the scaffolding and a chunk of the building is going to fall on top of me, by the way I wish I could thank the driver for not hitting it. Not only that but people have to walk out on to State Street to get around the scaffolding, also rather dangerous for the public. So not only is it dangerous, it is an eyesore and has been for along time.

This has been like this for at least several months, now the weather has probably been a factor in making repairs, and I am well aware that some repairs has been done, but over the amount of time that has past since the building began to deteriorate, I would have thought that the building would have showed a lot more progress then the way it appears now. Making me wonder whether the building will ever be repaired.

And while I am doing all this wondering, I wonder if this building belonged to someone other than Mayor Wolford would it be allowed to sit in this condition for this length of time? If this building was just an eyesore that would be one thing, but this building, along with the scaffolding, I believe is a danger and hazard to the public.

This letter is not intended to strike out against Mayor Wolford politically, this letter is to bring the mayor's attention to something that is his responsibility and the situation regarding this deteriorating structure should be address immediately before someone gets hurt. I believe Mayor Wolford has been lucky so far, but luck only last so long. Now if I understand correctly the city of Salem requires its citizens to keep their homes, their buildings or structures, their yards or land in adequate condition or face a fine. Now to end this letter I would like to ask if what the city requires of its citizens, well shouldn't those same requirements apply to the building Mayor Wolford owns, which not only is in located on the busiest street in Salem, but in my opinion is an accident waiting to happen and unfair to the citizens of Salem! What's good for one is good for all!

DEBRA BARKER,

Salem

Yucca Mountain editorial

prompts a response

To the editor:

Your recent editorial relative to Yucca Mountain prompted me to respond. The whole story about Yucca Mountain is too long and detailed to present here. My condensed version follows:

Concerns surfaced in 1972 about what to do with spent nuclear fuel. The Atomic Energy Commission decided to construct an above ground temporary surface storage facility for spent nuclear fuel to be used until a permanent geological depository could be found. After several years and many attempts to bring the facilities on line as an "away from the reactor site" the state governments declined and the project was terminated in 1981. In 1982 the congress enacted (NWPA) the "Nuclear Waste Policy Act." President Ronald Reagan signed this act into law on Jan. 7, 1983. The NWPA represented the largest civil works project in history.

In February 1983 the Department of Energy (DOE) identified nine possible sites for the spent fuel repository: one in Louisiana, two in Mississippi, two in Texas, two in Utah, one in Washington and one in Nevada. All of these nine sites had geological salt structures that would retain or be difficult for containers that may leak to pass through.

To finance this project the NWPA provided that a "Nuclear Waste Fund" (NWF) be established to provide a fund that could be used by the DOE to pay for all phases of the project. The legislation called for a one-tenth cent per kilowatt-hour to be charged to all electric customers who use power that was generated by a nuclear reactor.

Of the nine sites considered three sites made the final list, Deaf Smith County, Texas; Hanford, Wash.; and Yucca Mountain, Nevada. On May 28, 1986, President Regan approved the Yucca Mountain site under the NWPA Act.

The construction on the Yucca Mountain site began and was completed about the end of 2008 at a cost of approximately $8 billion.

Since 1983 consumers of electricity provided by nuclear power plants have paid approximately $32 billion as of 2010. The balance in the NWF as of 2010 is about $22 billion.

On March 3, 2010, the Department of Energy published a two-paragraph press release stating that they were withdrawing the license application for Yucca Mountain.

There are now 60 or more lawsuits filed against the DOE by the Nuclear Power Utilities, the customers of which have paid more than $32 billion, so that the utilities would have a safe repository in which to deposit spent nuclear fuel.

One can only theorize why the DOE pulled the license application for the Yucca Mountain site. What seems to be patently obvious is that if any electric utility seeks to get DOE approval for a new nuclear power plant, the DOE will ask what they will do with their spent nuclear fuel. The utility will have to say that matter is still being studied which will no doubt result in a prompt denial to a request to improve the production of electricity in the United States.

Write your congressman and senator.

President Obama, open up the Yucca Mountain repository!

JACK H. HOWELLS,

Salem

Our own government is

hurting private businesses

To the editor:

Senator Sherrod Brown supports a bill that strangles private companies that control only five percent of all the oil reserves. It is governments that control 95 percent of all oil reserves which includes our own government.

Our own government does not explore, set up infra-structure, or recover oil only the private companies do. Our government has successfully stopped domestic oil production in the Gulf and Alaska directly related to jacking up gas prices.

It is our government that continues to print money that also directly contributes to higher prices on all products we buy. Private companies make six cents on the dollar for gasoline while the government takes over 27 cents without lifting a finger.

If you were a speculator and you see how stupid and corrupt a government is just where would your money be?

WILLIAM EARDLEY,

East Liverpool

A message for thieves who

stole from his front yard

To the editor:

To the thieves who stole two of three planter buckboards from my front yard Mother's Day evening or early Monday morning; I want you to know you stole from an old man on a fixed income and unable to do many of the everyday chores; such as working in the yard etc. due to a recent illness.

This was one way to supplement my income. These buckboards are well constructed using only screws and dowells, no nails. One is 31/2x11/2' wide and is red and green stained and the other is approximately 3x11/4' wide in natural weather worn gray and has Made in Korea on the rear panel and a three-letter logo on the side panels.

I suppose they will turn up at Rogers or another flea market for whatever you can get for them.

If perchance you have a guilty conscious; return them or send me $80 to ease your conscious; like that is about to happen. Scum bags like you prey on law-abiding citizens in the dark of the night and probably make more in a month than a lot of honest citizens; selling what you have stolen.

At this time I would also like to thank my son Matt and my neighbors John and James who kept my driveway clear of snow this past winter; also my son Matt for doing my yardwork until I get stronger and able to do for myself.

My advice to the honest people of Salem and Perry Township is lock it or lose it. These animals are getting bolder and if it isn't nailed down or locked up; they will take it to get a few bucks in their pockets.

We in Perry Township and Salem have to appreciate what our police departments are doing to curb crime in our area; but they can't be everywhere at the same time; so bad things will happen to good people regardless of their efforts to protect us.

EUGENE R. TODD,

Salem

Aniversary of Bloomer's

birthday rates a celebration

To the editor:

Let us not fail to celebrate the 193rd birthday anniversary of Amelia Jenks Bloomer.

Born on May 27, 1818, Amelia Bloomer was one of the foremost crusaders for woman's rights of the 19th century. She championed causes such as suffrage for women, temperance and a greater role for women in the everyday affairs of running the nation. Backed by a supportive husband, Mrs. Bloomer effectively promoted her agenda on the lecture circuit where she shared the platform with prominent feminists such as Susan B. Anthony, much to the chagrin of the 19th century man. But it is not as an activist that she is best remembered.

If any one person can be viewed as the progenitor of a sensible mode of dress for women, that person is Amelia Bloomer. Disaffected with petticoats, hoop skirts, bustles and constricting corsets, she endorsed a far more practical outfit that enjoyed a brief popularity as the fashion vogue during the 1850s. This was a short skirt in combination with a pair of baggy trousers. The latter, voluminously fabricated from yards of stuff, reached all the way down to the ankles. This outfit deservedly became known as "bloomers" and was widely acclaimed for its comfort.

Unfortunately most men ridiculed the bloomer costume and not only did it become a symbol of radicalism, but both the garment and its wearer became objects of ribaldry and derision. Ministers railed from their pulpits on the evils of women who wore bifurcated dresses. Elections were lost by politicians unfortunate enough to be married to such women. Street urchins opportunistically heckled the "carrion crows" as the passerby bloomer wearers came to be known. With devilish glee, less sophisticated vulgarians derided the baggy, tucked-at-the-ankle bloomers as "30 day poopers."

Miraculously the bloomers survived these onslaughts. But long skirts minus the trappings made a comeback while Amelia's bloomers experienced diminution. As the dresses got longer and longer, the bloomers got shorter and shorter, until they could no longer be seen and became women's most intimate apparel. Then after many long years of being ignominiously banished from the public eye, the bloomers peeped mischievously into the world with the advent of the miniskirt.

A pedantic catalogue of facts and anecdotal observations sadly fall way short of garnering the full measure of posthumous acclaim due Mrs. Bloomer for her priceless legacies. What elderly matron cannot help but be moved by a portrait of her great-great-grandmother attired in a pair of Amelia's billowy drawers? And as spin-off from her magnificent voluminous bloomers, Amelia certainly deserves some credit for the underwear worn by women today. Fancy laced knits, sparsely woven to permit a freshening airy relief to odoriferous membranes, best by far epitomize the elegance and utility of contemporary fabrics.

Contemporary women would do well to draw inspiration from the exemplary life led by Mrs. Bloomer. Not only did Amelia strive to improve woman's lot throughout her entire career, but she always found time to host a sewing circle, bake cookies to be served up with pitchers of milk or attend a Sunday school picnic (are you taking notes, Hillary Clinton). She was and still is a role model par excellence.

Amelia Jenks Bloomer died in 1894. May she always be remembered with light-heartedness and affection.